New Businesses and Events Policy

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority when considering an idea or proposal from a proponent for a major new event, new infrastructure, new business, product placement and/or other related concepts. This policy aims to ensure all decisions on any future businesses and events in the designated lands enhance the services, accessibility and sustainability of the park(s).

Policy Statement: New Businesses and Events

Background

The Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority (BGPA) is responsible for the care, control and management of Kings Park and Botanic Garden and Bold Park, and any other designated lands. The BGPA operates under the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority Act 1998.

The BGPA Board of Management (the Board) is responsible for determining all key strategic policies and decisions, and the Chief Executive Officer is responsible for the implementation of these policies and decisions and the operational management of the BGPA.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for the BGPA when considering an idea or proposal from a proponent for a major new event, new infrastructure, new business, product placement and/or other related concepts.

This policy will ensure all decisions on any future businesses and events in BGPA designated lands enhance the services, accessibility and sustainability of the park(s). The Board delegates decision making regarding specific proposals for businesses and events to the BGPA CEO and requires these decisions to be made in the context of these Guidelines.

Statement

Bold Park and especially Kings Park and Botanic Garden are sometimes considered as the proposed location or venue for new businesses and/or events, due to visitation levels, location, exposure and reputation.

The BGPA seeks to manage and enhance the aesthetics and ambience of Bold Park and Kings Park and Botanic Garden and any new business and events ideas and concepts for development are usually approved only in extraordinary circumstances, based primarily on net public benefit, i.e. if it meets a demand from visitors and the wider community and/or enhances and maintains the integrity of the park(s) and their historical, scientific and/or recreational values.

New business and event ideas and concepts for development are usually approved only in extraordinary circumstances to maintain and enhance the aesthetics, accessibility, sustainability and ambience of Bold Park and/or Kings Park and Botanic Garden. Events requiring road closures and businesses requiring temporary or permanent infrastructure are usually considered only in extraordinary circumstances.

Proposals will be considered primarily based on the net public benefit, i.e. if it meets a demand from visitors and the wider community and/or enhances and maintains the integrity of the park(s) and their historical, scientific and/or recreational values.

Process

Proposals for new ideas or concepts are considered where there is a clearly demonstrated community demand and net benefit to the community, and to the BGPA.

Proposals will be considered in three stages:

Stage 1

The BGPA CEO or delegated officer will assess the proposal in accordance with the Guidelines (below) to determine whether or not the proposal should go to Stage 2 assessment.

As part of Stage 1, alternative locations outside of Bold Park or Kings Park and Botanic Garden should be assessed by the proponent to justify why the park(s) are the best available location. Those proposals that are assessed by the BGPA as being likely to maintain or enhance the integrity, historical, scientific and/or recreational values aesthetics, accessibility, sustainability, ambience of Bold Park or Kings Park and Botanic Garden and provide a net public benefit will progress to Stage 2 assessment.

Stage 2

Should the proposal be assessed as warranting further investigation, further information may be sought from the proponent, which may include a detailed business case or other information as requested. The proposal will not be approved if the BGPA believes, at its absolute discretion, that it does not maintain or enhance the integrity, historical, scientific and/or recreational values aesthetics, accessibility, sustainability, ambience of Bold Park or Kings Park and Botanic Garden or provide a net public benefit.

If all matters of concern have been satisfied in Stage 1 and/or Stage 2, the proponent will be advised of BGPA’s decision to accept, or give an interim ‘in principle’ support for, the proposal.

Stage 3

Should ‘in principle’ support be given by the BGPA CEO, the proponent may then be required, as part of the final stage of the assessment process, to submit more detailed supporting information and/or agree to specific terms and conditions in a contract to enable final decision by BGPA. The BGPA has absolute discretion to approve or reject any application for a new business or event proposal.

Review

The Board will review this Policy no later than five years from its endorsement (endorsed August 2011). Review date: June 2016.

Guidelines

New businesses and events proposals for Bold Park and/or Kings Park and Botanic Garden are approved in extraordinary circumstances, based on an assessment of net public benefit, e.g. if it meets a demonstrated demand from visitors and/or the wider community and/or enhances and maintains the integrity of the park(s) and their historical, scientific and/or recreational values.

The BGPA Guidelines for Assessment are as follows:

Consistency with the functions and powers of the BGPA Act 1998 and the BGPA Regulations 1999.

Meets any other legislative and regulatory requirements external to the BGPA.

Contribution and alignment with the vision, mission, guiding principles and strategic policies of the BGPA.

Link between the proposal and the relevant current BGPA strategic plan, management plan and/or masterplan.

Impact on existing BGPA lease or license obligations.

Impact on the park’s assets, resources, visitors and/or reputation.

Impact on the park’s integrity and its historical, scientific and/or recreational values.